Can Romney survive a massive "flip-flopper" television campaign?

[Mynheer Peeperkorn von Thurn und Taxis-Hohenlohe]

Discuss with maps.

[Mister Mets]

I don't think voters are bothered by flip-flopping.

It's worth remembering that Kerry, the previous candidate labeled as a flip-floppper, overperformed in 2004, relative to various economic and political indicators. He came close. I think his problem was that some of his campaign rhetoric was incongruous with his political origins (anti-war protester turned Democratic Senator from one of the most liberal states in the country.) I doubt that he would have done better if he hadn't tried shifting to the center for the General Election.

Voters who want Romney to be more conservative aren't going to vote for Obama.
Voters who are concerned that Romney is too conservative wouldn't be more likely to vote for him had he not run as a moderate in the past.

[Ray Goldfield]

The problem for Obama on this is that Romney's "flip flops" are most likely to bother the far right, and they may not be happy with him, but they'll still vote for him.

[True Federalist]

The Obama campaign is more likely to pin Romney to the right-wing stances he took during the primaries in order to keep him being able to flip-flop back to the center.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

Romney can survive all the lies, mud slinging, aspersions, deceptions, distortions, fabrications, libel, myths, slander, tall tales, villificaton that the muck raking Dems can throw at him, because none of their false accusations against Romney will stand up to the truth, and the truth will triumph. 

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

Romney can survive all the lies, mud slinging, aspersions, deceptions, distortions, fabrications, libel, myths, slander, tall tales, villificaton that the muck raking Dems can throw at him, because none of their false accusations against Romney will stand up to the truth, and the truth will triumph. 

So, are you seriously claiming Romney was consistent during his political career?

[Communists For McCain]

Romney can survive all the lies, mud slinging, aspersions, deceptions, distortions, fabrications, libel, myths, slander, tall tales, villificaton that the muck raking Dems can throw at him, because none of their false accusations against Romney will stand up to the truth, and the truth will triumph. 

ROMNEY CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

[HockeyDude]

Romney can survive all the lies, mud slinging, aspersions, deceptions, distortions, fabrications, libel, myths, slander, tall tales, villificaton that the muck raking Dems can throw at him, because none of their false accusations against Romney will stand up to the truth, and the truth will triumph.  

So, are you seriously claiming Romney was consistent during his political career?

The Romney fanatics on this forum astound me.  The fact that they seemingly admire a man like Mitt Romney scares me.  A venture capitalist who launches a political career by saying pretty much everything and anything his campaign managers tell him people want to hear.  What a martyr. 

And will he survive a "flip-flopper" television campaign?  I don't know... this election, like any involving an incumbent, is more of a referendum on the President. 

[WhyteRain]

I don't think voters are bothered by flip-flopping.

It's worth remembering that Kerry, the previous candidate labeled as a flip-floppper, overperformed in 2004, relative to various economic and political indicators. He came close. I think his problem was that some of his campaign rhetoric was incongruous with his political origins (anti-war protester turned Democratic Senator from one of the most liberal states in the country.) I doubt that he would have done better if he hadn't tried shifting to the center for the General Election.

Voters who want Romney to be more conservative aren't going to vote for Obama.
Voters who are concerned that Romney is too conservative wouldn't be more likely to vote for him had he not run as a moderate in the past.

Good points.

[WhyteRain]

Romney can survive all the lies, mud slinging, aspersions, deceptions, distortions, fabrications, libel, myths, slander, tall tales, villificaton that the muck raking Dems can throw at him, because none of their false accusations against Romney will stand up to the truth, and the truth will triumph.  

So, are you seriously claiming Romney was consistent during his political career?

The Romney fanatics on this forum astound me.  The fact that they seemingly admire a man like Mitt Romney scares me.  A venture capitalist who launches a political career by saying pretty much everything and anything his campaign managers tell him people want to hear.  What a martyr. 

And will he survive a "flip-flopper" television campaign?  I don't know... this election, like any involving an incumbent, is more of a referendum on the President. 

Romney sucks, but why do people who told us in 2008 that Obama would be a great president -- a real reformer -- think they have any credibility left?

[IDS Speaker Ben Kenobi]

Voters who want Romney to be more conservative aren't going to vote for Obama.

If my choice is between a turd taco and a **** sandwich I'm going to have Goode ice cream.
 
 
 

[Senator Napoleon]

He can respond with one.

[pbrower2a]

Romney can survive all the lies, mud slinging, aspersions, deceptions, distortions, fabrications, libel, myths, slander, tall tales, villificaton that the muck raking Dems can throw at him, because none of their false accusations against Romney will stand up to the truth, and the truth will triumph. 

The truth will be enough to stop him.

[cope1989]

Romney can survive all the lies, mud slinging, aspersions, deceptions, distortions, fabrications, libel, myths, slander, tall tales, villificaton that the muck raking Dems can throw at him, because none of their false accusations against Romney will stand up to the truth, and the truth will triumph.  

So, are you seriously claiming Romney was consistent during his political career?

The Romney fanatics on this forum astound me.  The fact that they seemingly admire a man like Mitt Romney scares me.  A venture capitalist who launches a political career by saying pretty much everything and anything his campaign managers tell him people want to hear.  What a martyr. 

And will he survive a "flip-flopper" television campaign?  I don't know... this election, like any involving an incumbent, is more of a referendum on the President. 

I think a lot of the support for Romney isn't based on the man himself and his 'principles', I think it has more to do with Romney now leading the opposition against Obama. Of course Romney wasn't the first choice among the anti-Obama crowd, but he's what they've got now, and they'll get behind him despite his flip floppings. As long as he says the right things now, they'll be fine with him.

Of course, I don't think this will be quite enough. He'll be able to get the GOP base out this fall, but they were planning on doing that no matter who became the nominee, simply because they hold an incredible amount of animosity toward the President.

But you don't really win over the swing voters just by being the 'anti incumbent.' You have to have your own brand that's new and fresh. You've gotta be a Reagan or a Clinton, a game changer. Is Romney a game changer? I don't think so, and this probably explains why he's not doing as he well as he should up to this point.

[Jayhawker]

The biggest accused flip-flop is abortion, and considering the trends, it may not be wise to make that an issue.

Overall, though, almost all of his alleged flip-flops deal with social issues, so the Romney campaign could easily counter that Obama is trying to dodge the real issues: Healthcare, Economy

[mondale84]

The problem is there won't be any massive television campaign on the Dem side...